Zig Zagging Across Cook Strait with Golden Bay Air

Golden Bay Air is a small airline that is based out of Takaka with scheduled flights to Karamea, Nelson and Wellington.  Their website is at http://www.goldenbayair.co.nz/
 They have a fleet of three distinctively registered Piper aircraft, two of which can be seen on their services to Wellington, as below:

ZK-ZIG is a Piper PA 32R Saratoga, seen here at Wellington on 23/4/15.  It is ex N8610 and was first registered in New Zealand on 12/12/05 to Capital Air of Wellington.  Capital Air changed its name to Golden Bay Air in 2009.

and ZK-ZAG is a Piper PA 34-200T Seneca, seen here arriving at Wellington on 20/5 16.  It was first registered in New Zealand on 17/2/11 and is ex C-GOKO.

Taxying in (The aircraft is photo'd through the glass of the terminal).

and about to disembark passengers at Gate 20.

Golden Bay Air's other aircraft is the Piper PA 28-181 Archer ZK-ZOG.

The Great Aussie Air Adventure Update

If you look on Spidertracks, you can see the three aircraft ZK-WLL, ZK-WLK and ZK-VRV have just flown by Cape Reinga.

Spidertracks is at:  https://go.spidertracks.com/public/acrosstheditch#/flying

The Great Aussie Flying Adventure is Underway

The Great Aussie Flying Adventure is underway with the three aircraft tucked up at Kerikeri tonight.

The above photo from the Facebook page shows Bill Luther's RV 7 ZK-WLL, David Wilkinson's RV 8 ZK-WLK and Peter Merwood's RV 6 ZK-VRV at Kerikeri this afternoon.

You can follow their progress on Spidertracks at:  https://go.spidertracks.com/public/acrosstheditch#/flying

Wellington International 19-5-2016

Last Thursday at Wellington International, the late afternoon sun was spectacular for photography.  I met up with minicooper and had a ride in his Mini Cooper.  The photos below were taken from the upper deck of the Spruce Goose cafe.

 Air New Zealand Airbus A 320 ZK-OXI about to touch down...

and with reverse thrust.

 Then a couple of King Airs - NZ7124 of the RNZAF...

and Skyline Aviation's ZK-MFT2 operating for the New Zealand Air Ambulance Service.

A great afternoon even if a bit chilly!

ZK-EAQ

The recent ownership change for the Eagle Air Raytheon 1900D ZK-EAR2 reminded me of the earlier

change for ZK-EAQ2.

ZK-EAQ was a pre loved aircraft when it became the 17th 1900D for Eagle Air.

As c/n UE-363 it was cranked out as N31136 about mid-1999 and went to US Air Express (Commutair). 

It was re-registered as N864CA on 12-07-2000 and placed in storage in May 2002 until being leased to Continental Connection (Commutair) in May 2003.

It ferried out of Hutchinson Kansas to Santa Maria in California on 13-03-2007 and then on to Hilo on the 14th, to Pago Pago on the 15th and into Hamilton on the 16th to become ZK-EAQ on 26-03-2007 on lease to Eagle Air from the Raytheon Credit Corporation.

Its first flight with its new ZK marks was on 04-04-2007 and its first revenue flight was from Hamilton to Auckland on the 8th.

 Two views of ZK-EAQ. Above at Wellington on 29-07-2013, and below at Christchurch on 13-03-2015.

Its ownership changed to Trans Guyana Airways on 10-07-2015 and it departed Hamilton for Noumea on 16-07-2015 and then on to Honiara - ultimately reaching Georgetown Guyana.

Its New Zealand registration was cancelled on 27-70-2015 for it to become 8R-GAQ.

Pic below was nicked from the Trans Guyana Airways website.

Auckland International 17-5-2016

Auckland International last Tuesday offered a few aircraft worth a photo:

 Air Chathams coloured pencil ZK-CIC2 arrived from Whakatane.

Air New Zealand's Beech B 1900 fleet continues to shrink with ZK-EAG2 and ZK-EAB2 parked up, presumably awaiting disposal.  Air New Zealand's Koru magazine listed only four of them still in the fleet.

 Airwork Flight Operations newest Boeing B737-400 ZK-PAQ parked before another night's operations.

And to emphasis how big the international bit is, Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-312ER 9V-SWM filled my lens as it taxied our on departure for Singapore.  That sure is big!

Pawnee ZK-JWW at work.

Three nice photographs of the Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee ZK-JWW (c/n 25-7656031) as currently operating under Patchett Ag-Air Ltd's licence.

 Stu Marshall at work in South Westland on 08-05-2016.

Some earlier pics from Tanya of JWW at work can be seen at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2016/02/pawnee-zk-jww-at-work.html

Late afternoons in sunny Wellington

I have had the opportunity to spend a bit of time later in the day than I usually do. The result is some different aircraft and lighting conditions.

Mount Cook's ATR72-600 ZK-MVG, cn1264

Mount Cook's ATR72-600 ZK-MVJ, cn1319

Jetstar's Airbus A320-232 VH-VFX cn5871. Promoting Kung Fu Panda 3

ANZ Airbus A320-232 ZK-OJH cn 2257

Auckland to Wellington by Air New Zealand 17-5-2016

It was pleasant surprise to find that my Flight NZ 453 to Wellington on Tuesday afternoon was being provided by Air New Zealand's newest Airbus A 320 ZK-OXL (c/n 7086), which was only registered eight days earlier.  And even better, I had been allocated window seat 21A.

 ZK-OXL at the gate.

 Taxying out we passed the previous newest Air New Zealand A 320s:  ZK-OXJ (c/n 6694) .

 and ZK-OXK (c/n 6706).

 Lift off from Auckland International...

and a Southerly approach to Wellington, over Titahi Bay with the Paekakariki and Paraparaumu coastline in the distance.

 Over Newlands with Petone and the Hutt Valley spread out behind.

and on landing at Wellington showing the interior workings of a brand new Airbus A 320 wing.

Quiet day at NZCH

There was nothing terribly new or exciting for me at Christchurch International today.

 Piper PA-28-181 Archer II ZK-FIX (c/n 28-7990559) has been in Country since 26-05-1984 when it flew in from Pago Pago. 

Its first NZ owner was G W Prebble of Ashburton from 11-06-1984. 

It has had at least eight more owner/operators before joining Barnstormer Enterprises Ltd on 06-09-2011.

 The Aerofab Lake 250 Renegade ZK-RFH (c/n 77) of Southlink International Ltd has been on the tie downs near the Aero Club for a few days now.

 Sitting forlornly is the ex Southern Warbirds Aero L-29 Delfin ZK-VAU (c/n 094019) which changed owners to Rob Young on 25-02-2016.

Is there a connection with RFH being on site ?

 Below -A very long shot of what will soon be history.

The two General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580 ZK-KFL (c/n 372) and 340/580 ZK-KFH (c/n 42) of Air Freight NZ Ltd. 

Soon to be replaced by 737's.